Brush fiber package



Aug. 16, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB GE Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY W W/ 7 Dan/aw P4 ATTORNEYS 966 ca. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

, BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE I Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORGILBERT SHAW YCHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed ly 7. 1 63 9 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS 6, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 19s: 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.'I|

INVENTOR GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

wr 2M, ,MM 0

AT TO R NEYS 1966 e. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 1963 9Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG."I4

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY i I M0 Dd m;

ATTORNEYS 1966 G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 1963 9Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR. BY 1 7 ATTORNEYSINVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS 4 7 2 6 m 6 e 6 w 2 -r 3 a e h S 9 ll lllllllll l.||| 4 4 H IHM MH W W M 4 5 G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE FIG Aug. 16, 1966 FlledJuly 17, 1963 FIG. 20

1966 ca. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed July 17,1963 FIG. 24

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY MHZ/0v ATTORNEYS G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Aug. 16, 1966 9Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 17, 1963 I FIG. 25

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSOMJR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,266,624 BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE GilbertShaw, Middlebury, and Charles H. Anderson, 512, Shoreham, Vt. (bothPolymers, Inc, Middlebury,

Filed July 17, 1963, Ser. No. 295,720

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates to an improved packagecontaining parallel fibers and its manufacture, and particularly to apackage containing cut parallel brush fibers which offers manyadvantages over conventional brush fiber packages in loading cutparallel brush fibers into the brush fiber feed magazines of brushmanufacturing machines and in permitting more economical production ofsynthetic brush fibers. The packages of this invention contain filamentswhich in general have a diameter in the range of 0.002 to 0.060 inch,preferably 0.005 to 0.030 inch. Consideration of existing techniques forenclosing brush fibers and for transferring brush fibers from presentstandard brush fiber enclosures to the brush fibe' feed magazine ofbrush making machinery will make the need for improvement apparent.

With the exception of certain coarse, stick-like, nontangling fiberswhose minimum cross-sectional dimension may be in the order of 0.060inch, and which are baled or supplied in conventional cartons, brushfibers are and have been traditionally supplied to the brush industry inparallel disposition within cylindrical bundles whose diameter isusually in the order of 2 inches. Such bundles have been retained incylindrical form by means of string, wire, elastic bands, paper bands,spiral paper wrappings, or shrunk cellulose or plastic tubing, asdescribed in Shaw Patent No. 2,581,561. A bundle diameter of 2 incheshas been arrived at because that is the maximum diameter a man can gripin one hand and hold onto While opening it with the other hand.

The length of the cylindrical bundles are on occasion limited by thelength in which specific fibers occur in nature, but in the case ofsynthetic brush fibers, the bundles are usually produced in a lengthwhich is a multiple of the ultimate brush fiber length desired.

The desired brush fiber lengths are sliced from the multiple lengthbundles with a guillotine cutter or other means in a direction normal tothe center lines of the enclosed parallel family of fibers.

In the presently used techniques, in filling conventional feed magazineswhich are rectangular in nature, it is necessary to open a multiplicityof cylindrical enclosures and stuff the contained fibers manually intothe rectangular feed magazines with considerable attendant spillagewhile so doing.

In certain brush manufacturing machines, the brush fibers are requiredto be parallel and disposed horizontally in feed magazines whosecross-section as viewed from above is rectangular. In others, theparallel brush fibers are required to be disposed vertically in feedmagazines whose cross-section as viewed from above is also rectangular.In arriving at the art taught by this invention, the possible use ofsmall carton-like boxes as a means of bulkloading both of these types ofmagazines was investigated, but cost considerations involved in fillingthe small boxes with short, small diameter fibers subject to severetangling prevented such a method of operation from becoming a commercialactuality. A lower cost method of accomplishing the same goal wastherefore devised.

Objects and advantages of the invention Will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the steps, methods, combinations and improvements pointed outin the appended claims.

ICC

The invention consists in the novel steps, methods, combinations andimprovements herein shown and described.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel package containingcut parallel fibers which has a shape that permits filling brushmanufacturing machinery magazines in a fraction of the time required todo so by transferring fiber from the cylindrical enclosures standard inthe industry.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel package containingcut parallel fibers in an enclosure that results in lower fiber lossfrom spillage in the course of transferring the fibers from saidenclosure to brush machine fiber feed machines than is experienced intransferring the fibers from conventional cylindrical bundles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel packagecontaining cut parallel fibers which has a lower cost enclosure incomparison to those used with present brush fiber enclosing methods.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel packagecontaining cut parallel fibers that permits lower synthetic fiberproduction costs. The labor required to make a brush fiber package ofgiven weight of the type used in accordance with this invention, anddescribed hereinafter in detail, is very much less than that required toenclose the numerous small diameter cylindrical enclosures that would berequired to give an equivalent enclosed weight. Consequently, syntheticfiber machine operators are able to process more filament.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel methods forobtaining two smaller packages having graduated lengths of fibers inparallel dispositions from a larger package of fibers in paralleldispositions and of substantially the same lengths.

It has been found that certain objects of this invention may be realizedby forming a package of brush fibers in which the fibers are in paralleldisposition and whose cross-section normal to the center lines of theenclosed fibers is maintained in quadrangular form by an enclosingmedium whose length in the direction of the center lines of thecontained fibers is the same as the enclosed fibers. The most commonquadrangular shape is rectangular. For convenience sake, the termrectangular will be used hereinafter. It should be understood, however,the term rectangular, as used in the claims, includes any quadrangularshape.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a creased sheet employed in forming the fiber enclosure offour sides and a rigid metal retainer capable of receiving the creasedsheet.

'FIG. 2 shows the creased sheet nested in the rigid metal retainer.

FIG. 3 shows in end section how a family of horizontal parallel fibersmay be positioned and lowered into the cavity formed by the creasedsheet in the rigid container.

FIG. 4 shows the cavity formed by the sheet filled with horizontalparallel fibers and indicates how the protruding fiaps may be foldedover and fastened to form a fiber enclosure that has a rectangularcross-section normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

'FIG. 5 shows the completed package after removal from the rigidcontainer and guillotine trimming of the ends and also indicates how thepackage may be further sliced to give smaller packages containing fibersof a specific cut length.

FIG. 6 shows one such smaller package containing tfibers of a cutspecific length.

FIG. 7 shows how the enclosed fibers of the out package of FIG. 6 may bedropped from the package enclosure in parallel, vertical dispositioninto a rectangular fiber feed magazine which calls for fibers sodisposed.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the simple sequence of steps required to disposedenclosed fibers in horizontal, parallel juxtaposition, in a rectangularmetal holder with closed bottom. FIG. 8 further shows how the package ofFIG. 6 may be inserted in a holder and FIG. 9 shows the package in theholder such that the top surface of the package projects above the topof the holder.

FIG. 10 shows exposed fibers in parallel horizontal disposition in acontainer open at the top, with the flap covers cut away from thepackage.

FIG. 11 shows how the brush fibers contained in the enclosure of thisinvention may be dropped in parallel horizontal disposition by turningthe open container of FIG. 10 through 180.

FIG. 12 shows a still different embodiment of a package of thisinvention having a brush fiber enclosure whose projected area in thedirection of the center lines of the enclosed fibers is rectangular andwherein the common ends of the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers havebeen sliced at different angles with respect to the center lines of theenclosure fibers.

FIG. 13 shows how the package of FIG. may be sliced on a plane whichforms an inclined angle with the center lines of the fibers to providetwo smaller packages, each having graduated lengths of fiber.

FIG. 14 is a perspective of the package of FIG. 6 being inserted into apaper slip cover for closing the open ends of the package enclosure.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a base support having a curved surfacefor supporting the lower ends of parallel fibers protruding from apackage which is sliced in the manner indicated in FIG. 19.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a base support having an angled surfacefor supporting the lower ends of parallel fibers protruding from apackage which is sliced in the manner indicated in FIG. 17.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 5 wherein thefibers are tamped against the angled surface of the support of FIG. 16,whereby the lower ends of the fibers conform to the angle a and theupper ends also conform to this angle as at b, and wherein the packageis sliced in a direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGS. 18 and 19 are minor side views of the package of FIG. 5 showingthe fibers protruding from the package by tamping (FIG. 18) which iscontinued until they rest against the curved surface of the support baseof FIG. 15, as shown in FIG. 19, the lower ends of the fibers conformingto the curvature of the curved surface and the upper ends conforming tothe same curvature.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the two smaller packages having graduatedlengths of fibers that are formed by cutting the larger package in adirection indicated by the arrow FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a saddle having a semicircularcross-section used for supporting a cylindrical package of fibers whenit is cut by an appropriate cutting knife, the portion of the packageout by said knife being of substantially circular cross-section.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package of fibers seatedon the saddle of FIG. 21 in a tilted position for cutting of an angledend position of circular cross-section by downward movement of agullotine cutter in the direction indicated by the arrow.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package of fibers whoseends have been cut at an angle which is not normal to the center linesof the fibers.

FIG. 24 is a side view of the cylindrical package of FIG. 23 which iscut vertically in the middle, as indicated by the dotted lines, to givetwo small packages, each of the packages having fibers of graduatedlengths but no uniform apportionment of fibers of varying lengths,between and including the maximum and minimum lengths.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a saddle in the form of a U-shapedchannel used for supporting a cylindrical package of fibers when it iscut vby an appropriate cutting knife, the portion of the package cut bysaid knife being of substantially rectangular cross-section.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package seated on thesaddle of FIG. 25 in a tilted position for cutting of an angled endportion of rectangular cross section by downward movement of aguillotine cutter in the direction indicated by the arrow.

FIG. 27 is a side view of a cylindrical package whose ends have been cutin the manner indicated in FIG. 26, which ends are of rectangularcross-section and cut at an angle which is not normal to the centerlines of the fibers. By cutting the package vertically in the mannerindicated by the dotted lines there results two smaller packages ofgraduated lengths, each of the smaller packages having fibers ofgraduated lengths and uniform apportionment of the varying lengthswhereby the proportion of fibers of a given length between the maximumand minimum lengths is essentially the same as the proportion of fibersof any other length between and including the maximum and minimumlengths.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings so that a moredetailed description of the invention may be given.

FIG. 1 shows a sheet of an enclosing material 1 which may be corrugatedcardboard, paper, plastic sheet, or the like, which is creased at 2, 3,4 and 5, as shown, to form a U-shaped enclosure comprising a bottom 6,side walls 7 and 8 extending vertically from said bottom 6 and flaps 9and 10 at the free end of side walls 7 and 8, respectively. As shown inFIG. 1 the inner walls of side walls 7 and 8 and bottom 6 form a cavity11 adapted to receive filaments. As shown in FIG. 1, the interior offormed metal container 12 conforms to the shape of the creased sheet 1,so that when sheet 1 is moved in the direction of 13, it fits intocontainer 12 to give a composite structure as shown in FIG. 2. Bundlesof brush fibers 14 in parallel disposition may be lowered in thedirection 15 into the cavity 11 formed by creased sheet 1, as shown inFIG. 3, until the cavity is filled, as shown in FIG. 4. Flaps 9 and 10are folded over on each other, as indicated in FIG. 4, and fastened bygluing, taping or other means to give a wrap-around enclosure which,after guillotine cutting as described hereinafter, has rectangular endsnormal to the center lines of the contained fibers, as shown in FIG. 5.

A particularly desirable size for the package of this invention is onehaving a rectangular cross-section in the order of 2" x 8". In theillustrated embodiment the cross-section of the packaged fiber is aperfect rectangle, since underlying flap 10 is flush with crease 2, asshown in FIG. 5. It should be understood, however, that slightdeviations from a rectangular shape may occur when the underlying flap10 does not extend the full distance from crease 3 to crease 2, so thatthe cross-section of the packaged fiber is not perfectly rectangular.Also, as an alternative to the use of two flaps, one may use only asingle flap extending from one side wall and resting on the top surfaceof the other side wall.

As a further embodiment, flaps 9 and 10 of the enclosure may beeliminated, and a piece of tape, e.g., a normally tacky andpressure-sensitive tape, used instead to provide a top cover for theenclosing medium. Such tape is of the same length as the side walls 7and 8. The width of the tape extends beyond the space between the sidewalls so that there is provided, near each free end of the side walls, adownwardly extending vertical flap, secured to the outer side of saidside wall.

In the aforementioned embodiment of FIG. 5, the family of fibers aresuspended horizontally. By suspending the family of fibers vertically itis possible to form a similar enclosure while the fibers are maintainedin a vertical position.

After the flaps have been folded to form a package having rectangularends, in the manner described hereinabove, the rectangular ends may besliced by a guillotine cutter or by other means to square the ends 16and 17. For convenience sake, the package of FIG. 5 with the endssquared is given the reference numeral 18. The open squared ends of theenclosure of the package 18 may be closed by means of formed cardboardcaps or tape or by other means to permit shipment. Where the enclosedmedium is made of sufficiently stiff material, e.g., corrugatedcardboard, it has been found that the cut fiber packages may be shippedin conventional cartons, etc. Without the necessity of closing the endsof the enclosures. For synthetic fibers the package 18 as produced wouldnormally have a length which would be a multiple of a specified brushfiber length, in which case a multiplicity of slices would be madethrough the package 18 in the direction shown at 19-20 to give shorterrectangular packages 18a, as shown in FIG. 6. In practice the package ofFIG. 5 would be turned 90 and sliced vertically in the direction 19-20.

As shown in FIG. 14, if desired the smaller package 18a of FIG. 6 may beslipped into a paper cover 21, open at both ends, to close the open endsof the package enclosure.

It is apparent that brush machine feed magazines which are designed toreceive parallel brush fibers in vertical disposition can have theirmagazines filled by discharging the fiber 14a in the enclosure of thepackage 18a in the direction shown in FIG. 7.

For brush manufacturing machinery designed to receive parallel fibers inhorizontal disposition the package 18a may be subjected to the sequenceshown in FIGS. 8-11. The package 18a may be placed in a metallic holder22, as shown in FIG. 8, such that the top surface 23 of the package 18aprojects above the top of the holder 22, as shown in FIG. 9. In thisposition, the top surface 23 may be readily removed by cutting edgessuitably placed in a jig thereby exposing parallel fibers in horizontaldisposition, as shown in FIG. 10. The open filled package of FIG. 10 maybe turned through 180 to permit discharge of parallel, horizontal fibersfrom the enclosure, as shown in FIG. 11.

A number of types of brush manufacturing machines have their outputlimited by the speed with which operators can open the small diametercylindrical bundles in which brush fibers are normally supplied andtransfer the contained fibers into the fiber feed magazines of themachines.

A novel package formed in accordance with this invention, having arectangular cross-section in the order of 2" X 8", contains five or moretimes brush fiber than the heretofore used cylindrical package having a2" diameter and of the same length as the rectangular package of theinvention. Then too, the aforementioned rectangular package requires nomore effort to open it and transfer its contents to the feed magazinethan is required to do likewise for one aforementioned cylindricalpackage. The novel package of this invention eliminates the fiberfeeding bottleneck mentioned hereinbefore with respect to the presentlyused cylindrical packages, thus opening the way to faster production.and possible multiple brush-making machine operation by one man.

It is very diflicult for a man to get a firm grip on a 2" diameter fiberbundle while opening it with the other hand. Fibers therefore areconstantly slipping out of the cut bundle and falling to the floor aswaste during the transfer operation to the brush-making machine feedmagazines. It does not pay to pick up and sort these dropped fibers.Where short cuts in the order of 1" to 1.5" are involved, the waste isvery appreciable and has on occasion been reported as high as 8%. Thereis no possibility of such loss by slippage using the new proposedpackage. See, for example, the simple sequence of steps illustrated inFIGS. 8 to 11 whereby fibers are transferred from the package enclosureto a feed magazine without any danger of fiber slippage.

' Where synthetic fibers are involved, it is not economically desirablenor commercially acceptable to ship bundles tied with string, wire, orelastic bands. Shrunk cellulose tubing costs in the order of 2.7 per lb.of enclosed material. Spiral paper wrapping costs less material-wise butlabor costs for winding are greater, so that the cost of spiral windingsmall diameter cylindrical bundles with paper approaches the overallcost of cellulose tubing. Brush fibers can be enclosed for approximately0.7 cent per lb. using the techniques of this invention, so that aneconomy in the order of $20,000 per million pounds of fiber shipped ispossible using the new enclosure.

The limiting factor in synthetic fiber production per man hour is therate at which a man can physically remove and package produced fiber. Ifan operator is filling enclosures which hold five or more times thematerial that he is accustomed to handling for each cylindricalenclosure, it is obvious that the synthetic fiber producing machinecould be vastly stepped up from an output standpoint.

In the aforementioned package of FIG. 5, the enclosed fibers havesubstantially the same lengths when the enclosing medium and enclosedfibers are sliced at each end at the same angle. In the particularpackage 18 illustrated, the ends are cut at an angle which is normal tothe center lines of the enclosed fibers. If so desired, the ends may becut at an angle which is not normal to the enclosed fibers. In suchinstance, where the angle cut is the same at both ends, the enclosedfibers have substantially the same length.

In certain instances it may be desirable to have graduated lengths ofbrush fibers in an enclosure whose crosssection normal to the centerlines of the enclosed fibers is rectangular. This may be accomplished byslicing the enclosing medium at one end at an angle different from thecut made at the other end. Such an embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 12wherein there is shown a package 24 whose ends 25 and 26 are sliced atangles which are different and not normal to the center lines of theenclosed fibers. If the package 24 is cut at 27-28 on a plane which isnormal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers, there results twosmaller packages 24 and 24" having graduated lengths of brush fibers,each of the packages having one end which is normal to the center linesof the enclosed fibers and the other end sliced at an angle which is notnormal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

A difierent method of obtaining two smaller packages having graduatedlengths of fibers from a larger package is shown in FIG. 13. As shown,the package 18 of FIG. 5 may be cut at 29-30 on a plane that is at aninclined angle with respect to the center lines of enclosed fibers toprovide two smaller packages 18 and '18", having graduated lengths ofbrush fibers, each of the packages having one end which is norm-a1 tothe center lines of the enclosed fibers and the other end at an anglewhich is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

In the package of this invention having graduated lengths of brushfibers in an enclosure whose cross-section normal to the center lines ofthe enclosed fibers is rectangular, the proportion of fibers of a givenlength between the maximum and minimum lengths is essentially the sameas the proportion of fibers of any other length within the maximum andminimum lengths. In short, there is effected a uniform apportionment offibers having varying lengths between, and including, the maximum andminimum lengths. Such uniform apportionment of fibers of differentlengths does not exist in a package containing graduated lengths ofbrush fibers in .an enclosure whose cross-section normal to the centerlines of the enclosed fibers. is circular; said package having beenproduced by slicing the enclosing medium at one end at an angle which isnot normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and slicing theenclosing medium at the other end at an angle which is normal to thecenter lines of the enclosed fibers.

In such a package, the proportion of fibers progressively increases asthe lengths of the fibers increase from the minimum length to the mediumlength after which the proportion of fibers progressively decreases asthe length of the fibers increase from the medium length to the maximumlength.

In this invention, the length of the enclosure is initially the same asthe length of the immediately adjacent cut fibers. Of course, in certaininstances, one might use as the enclosure material a substance that onaging may shrink or expand so that the length of the enclosures willdecrease or increase to some extent. Such a package is contemplatedwithin the scope of the present invention.

As described hereinabove and illustrated in FIG. 13, the package 18 ofFIG. may be cut to provide two smaller packages having graduated lengthsof brush fibers. In FIGS. -20 there are illustrated different techniquesfor obtaining two smaller packages having differing lengths of fibersemploying the package 18 of FIG. 5.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 17, the fibers of package 18 aretamped in the direction indicated by the arrows against the angledsurface 31 of support 32 of FIG. 16, whereby the lower ends 33 of thefibers conform to the angle a. The upper ends 34 of the fibers alsoconform to this angle as at b. By slicing the package midway between theends 35 and 36 of the tamped fibers in the direction shown at 37 and 38,there is obtained two smaller packages 39 and 40 containing fibers ofdiffering lengths. The fibers of package 39 protrude from the package,while the fibers of package 40 are totally enclosed.

FIGS. 18-20 illustrate a tamping and cutting procedure identical to thatdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 15-17, except in place of support32 having an angled surface 31, there is employed a support 42 of FIG.15 having a curved surface 41. More particularly, the fibers are tampedin the direction indicated by the arrow (FIG. 18) against the curvedsurface 41 of support 42, as shown in FIG. 19, the lower ends 43conforming to the curvature of the curved surface 41. The upper ends 44also conform to the same curvature. By slicing the package midwaybetween the ends 45 and 46 of the tamped fibers in the direction shownat 47-48 in FIG. 19, there is obtained two smaller packages 49 and 50having fibers of differing lengths. As shown in FIG. 20, the fibers ofpackage 49 protrude from the package, while the fibers of package 50 aretotally enclosed.

The principles described above, and illustrated in FIGS. 15-20, withrespect to the'rectangular package 18 of FIG. 5 may be applied to apackage of any configuration having fibers in parallel disposition such,for example, as conventional cylindrical packages referred tohereinbefore.

In the aforedescribed techniques for obtaining smaller packages havingdifiering fiber lengths from a larger package -by slicing the largerpackage in the manner described hereinabove, the package is of the typeproduced in accordance with the present invention, i.e., it has asubstantially rectangular cross-section as exemplified by therectangular package of FIG. 5.

It should be realized, however, as illustrated in FIGS. 21 to 27, thatconventional cylindrical packages containing fibers in paralleldisposition, and which have been referred to hereinbefore, may be slicedto obtain smaller packages containing fibers of graduated lengths.

The embodiment of FIGS. 21-24 illustrates a technique for obtaining twosmaller packages of fibers from a larger cylindrical package whereineach of the smaller packages have fibers of graduated lengths, butwherein there is not present a uniform apportionment of fibers ofvarying lengths between, and including, the maximum and minimum lengths.As will be readily apparent from the detailed description which appearshereinlater, in producing the aforesaid packages there is employed asaddle of semi-circular cross-section for supporting the larger packageas it is being cut by an appropriate cutting knife. The cut portions aresubstantially circular in cross-section.

The embodiment of FIGS. 25-27 illustrates a technique for obtaining twosmaller packages of fibers from a larger cylindrical package whereineach of the smaller packages have fibers of graduated length, andwherein the proportion of fibers of a given length between the maximumand minimum length is essentially the same as the proportion of fibersof any other length between, and including, the maximum and minimumlengths. As will be described in detail hereinlater, in producing theaforedescribed package, there is employed a saddle in the form of aU-shaped channel for supporting the larger package as it is being cut byan appropriate cutting knife. The cut portions are substantiallyrectangular in cross-section.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 21-24 which illustrate one technique forobtaining smaller packages 51 and 51 having graduated lengths of fibersfrom a larger conventional cylindrical package 51 of fibers. The saddle55, which is of semi-circular cross-section and is used to support thepackage 51, when being cut as shown in FIG. 21, is provided with a shearedge 56, which is at an angle which is not normal with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the saddle. The cylindrical package 51 is sliced inthe manner shown in FIG. 22 to obtain a package, as shown in FIG. 23,whose ends 52 and 53 are of substantially circular cross-section and aresliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of theenclosed fibers. As shown in FIG. 24, if the package 51 is cutvertically at 54, there results two smaller packages 51 and 51" showinggraduated lengths of fibers, each of the packages having one end whichis normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and another endwhich is sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines ofthe enclosed fibers.

As shown in FIG. 22, in cutting the packages 51 to obtain cut end 52,the package is received in the saddle 55 which is tilted so that upondownward movement of guillotine knife 57, as indicated by the arrow 58,the shear edge 56 of the saddle 55 is parallel to the vertical line ofmovement of the cutting knife 57. The package 51 is then moved forwardlywith respect to the saddle and a second end 53 is cut in the same manneras described above with respect to cut end 52. Next, the package 51 iscut at 54, midway between ends 52 and 53. In cutting the package at 54,it may be supported in a saddle (not shown) which is identical to thatshown in FIG. 21, except that the shear edge is vertical, i.e., at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. Also, when the package iscut at 54 and supported by the saddle, the saddle is in a non-tiltedhorizontal position so that the shear edge is parallel to the verticaldownward movement of the cutting knife.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 25-27 which illustrate a technique forobtaining smaller packages 61' and 61" having graduated lengths offibers of uniform proportionment from a larger conventional cylindricalpackage 61 of fibers. The saddle 65, which is of U- shaped cross-sectionand used to support package 61, as shown in FIG. 25, is provided with ashear edge 66 which is at an angle which is not normal with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the saddle. The cylindrical package 61 issliced, in the manner shown in FIG. 26, to obtain a package, as shown inFIG. 27, whose ends 62 and 63 are of substantially rectangularcross-section and are sliced at an angle which is not normal to centerlines of the enclosed fibers. As shown in FIG. 27, if the package 61 iscut vertically at 64, there results two smaller packages 61 and 61"having graduated lengths of fibers, each of the packages having one endwhich is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and the otherend sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of theenclosed fibers.

As shown in FIG. 26, in cutting the package 61 to obtain cut end 62, thepackage is received in the saddle 65 which is tilted so that upondownward movement of guillotine knife 67, as indicated by arrow 68, the

shear edge 66 of the saddle 65 is parallel to the vertical line ofmovement of the cutting knife 67. The cut end 62 is of substantiallyrectangular cross-section as the portion of the package received by thesaddle conforms to the shape of the U-shaped saddle when receivedtherein and then subjected to the force of the cutting knife.

After the'cut 62 is made, the package is then moved forwardly withrespect to the saddle and a second end 63 of rectangular cross-sectionis cut in the same manner as described above with respect to the cut end62. Next, the package 61 is cut at 64 midway between ends 62 and 63. Incutting the package at 64, it may be supported in a saddle (not shown)which is identical to that shown in FIGURE 25, except that the shearedge is vertical, i.e., at right angles to the longitudinal axis of thesaddle. Also, when the package is cut at 64 and is supported by thesaddle, the saddle is in a non-tilted horizontal position, so that theshear edge is parallel to the vertical downward movement of the cuttingknife, the cut being of substantially rectangular cross-section.

In the technique described above, and illustrated in FIGS. 21-24, or inFIGS. 25-27, the package 51 or 61 is subjected to a number of cutswhereby the ends 52 and 53, or 62 and 63, are cut at an angle which isnot normal to the center lines of enclosed fibers, while the cut at 54,or 64, is at right angles to the center lines of the fibers. If sodesired, a reversal of the above described procedure may be used,similar to that shown in FIG. 13, with respect to a rectangular package.More particularly, the end of the larger package may be cut at rightangles with respect to the center lines of the fibers, and subsequentlyproviding an intermediate out which is at an inclined angle with respectto the center lines of the enclosed fibers, to provide two smallerpackages having graduated lengths of fibers. Of course, in cutting theends of the package at right angles to the center lines of the fibers,the supporting saddle is in a non-tilted position and of the typedescribed hereinbefore with respect to cut 54 of FIG. 24, or cut 64 ofFIG. 27. In providing the intermediate inclined angle cut, thesupporting saddle used is in a tilted position and of the type 22, orFIG. 25 and FIG. 26.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificsteps, methods, combinations and improvements described, but departuresmay be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claimswithout departing from the principle of the invention and Withoutsacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A package of enclosed brush fibers, the said fibers being in paralleldisposition and of differing lengths and being enclosed by an enclosingmedium, the length of said enclosing medium varying in the direction ofthe longitudinal axes of the contained fibers wherein the length in thedirection of the enclosed fiber longitudinal axes at any location is thesame as the length of the enclosed fibers immediately adjacent to thepoint of measurement, one common end of the enclosing medium andenclosed fibers having a common plane intersecting the longitudinal axesof the said enclosing medium and said enclosed fibers at an angledifferent from the angle of the comm-on plane formed at the other commonend of the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the package is of arectangular cross-section and wherein each of said common planes is of arectangular configuration.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,127,542 2/ 1915Stiggins 20646 1,677,920 7/1928 Gubbard 300-21 1,886,842 11/1932 Shaw5323 2,132,958 10/1938 Martin 206-46 2,205,036 6/1940 Hamel 83172,302,354 11/1942 Smith 8317 2,3 84,494 9/1945 Schutter 5323 2,581,5611/1952 Shaw 206-64 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PACKAGE OF ENCLOSED BRUSH FIBERS, THE SAID FIBERS BEING IN PARALLELDISPOSITION AND OF DIFFERING LENGTHS AND BEING ENCLOSED BY AN ENCLOSINGMEDIUM, THE LENGTH OF SAID ENCLOSING MEDIUM VARYING IN THE DIRECTION OFTHE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE CONTAINED FIBERS WHEREIN THE LENGTH IN THEDIRECTION OF THE ENCLOSED FIBER LONGITUDINAL AXES AT ANY LOCATION IS THESAME AS THE LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSED FIBERS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THEPOINT OF MEASUREMENT, ONE COMMON END OF THE ENCLOSING MEDIUM ANDENCLOSED FIBERS HAVING A COMMON PLANE INTERSECTING THE LONGITUDINAL AXESOF THE SAID ENCLOSING MEDIUM AND SAID ENCLOSED FIBERS AT AN ANGLEDIFFERENT FROM THE ANGLE OF THE COMMON PLANE FORMED AT THE OTHER COMMONEND OF THE ENCLOSING MEDIUM AND ENCLOSED FIBERS.